Eternity
by outsidersfanfic67
Summary: I've been through a lot just at 10 years old. And then she's not making it any better. And consuming putting up for adoption, having a brain tumor, and getting cheated on, certainly helping the situation. I'm Dallas Winston, and I officially hate myself for my mysteries and scars.


**Let's see. This story is based on the true events in my life. It's non-fiction. It's an autobiography. But trust me, it's not boring. My life is far from boring. Read, review, and Stay Gold!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, That Was Then, This is Now, or any others. All rights go to the amazing and talented S.E. Hinton**

Where do I start? Let's go with the fact that my older sister hates her. My older brother has no idea who she is. And the fact that Sylvia is after her like a bull after the color red. And let's start with the fact that Ma moved down here with Dad and they both have something awful after her. They cringe at the mention of her name, the sight of her face, the ring of her laugh. They absolutely and completely hate her with everything left in them. And she's barely gone by them. Let's also go with the mention that the gang is after her with their eyes wide and drooling.

Oh, and let's go with the fact that I abused her. Tried to touch her. Tried to make a joke out of perverted shit, letting her go. That I tried to play games, tried loving her, her refusing, trying to not take out the anger on her, but couldn't help it. I would get so angry with myself when I tried and she'd go in the corner of the seat and sob until she got to her destination. And it made me feel like shit to let girls cry. Usually, girls crying bores me to death, but this time, I saw the harm I did to her; I had put a burden on her, she'd have to carry around for the rest of her life. I couldn't believe I could use bikechains to murder people, stab people, mug ladies, but watching that girl cry in the corner make me sick to my stomach and made me want to decay away.

"Mr. Dallas Winston!" Mrs. Bokins shouted at me. I looked up quickly at the board. I promised myself I wouldn't kill as many people, make better grades, stop shoplifting, try to stop cheating on her, and go o with life, not as a hood though.

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me what this sentence has an infinitive?" I raised one eyebrow. Usually it would be followed by a raise of the middle one here, but I answered with, "Laughing."

"Dallas," She shook her head against the chalk board. I looked at Two-Bit Mathews over there, who started cackling like that flying monkey from Wizard of Oz… so I've heard…

"Stay after class with me," And sure enough, the bell rang throughout the building. Everyone jumped up and scattered out the door like mice while I stayed seated.

"What did ya want, Miss Bo?" I said, politely. Please hurry, please hurry. We have only six minutes to get to class. And a tardiness on my record would set that broad off like a firework.

"Well, Dallas, there's no real way of telling you this nicely," She sat on top of the desk in front of me, crossing her legs like a lady. Man, what I wouldn't do for a cigarette right now. "But you're failing this class." I immediately stood up and banged my fists onto the desk, enraged. I had done my best in this class, more than the others. Even in gym, I did gym!

"How?!"

"You're not making the grades you should."

"I've been making C's on my test."

"Rather than the F's you used to get, and Dallas, that's a huge improvement. I'm not trying to pick on you, but you're still at the highest F there is."

"I am?"

"Yes. You need to write extra credit to at least pass this class for the semester."

"Yeah, but I don't have any extra credit."

"I'll give you some. Look, I suggest getting a tutor. I could recommend some of my students." I scoffed.

"Like who? Ethan Forest?"

"Well, he's one. I've also got Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade. There are excellent writers and very tolerant. And I've got Demi Irene. She's magnificent with a pencil." Demi… Demi… Yeah, I'll go with Demi, I thought and told Miss Bo that.

"Okay, Dallas. Arrange that with her on your own time. You've got to go to class and I've got another one coming in." I eagerly took my books and started heading to some farming class I signed up for. Demi Irene was the girl I abused and touched, and I intended to make it right.

XXX

Okay, we both had this thing for each other. I liked her, she liked me. We never officially dated, but it was killing me inside to. So I had my fourth hour gym with her, a couple of her friends, and the gang. And I intended to start showing signs that I did. Start going after her because I knew good and well, she liked me, maybe even loved me.

"What you gonna do, man? Throw the football up her ass?" Two-Bit started laughing ridiculously loud. I pulled my white t-shirt over my chest and took a punch at him with my rings making imprints on his arm.

"Yeah, sure. Naw, man, I'll go on the soccer field. You know, she's always standing there talkin' to Cathy, and Jamie, and Cherry over there."

"She's gonna want to play ya," Steve said. I gave him a reassuring slap on the bare back and laughed when he looked over on his back and winced in pain.

"I know, man."

"Go talk to her before we do exercise."

"Naw."

"WHOA! DALLAS WINSTON IS AFRAID OF-" I slipped that bike chain I have in my jean pocket and pulled it out fro end to end in my hand.

"Shut your trap, Mathews, before it's gone!" I threatened.

"Sorry, boys!" Sodapop came dashing in with his clothes in his hands and started quickly undressing.

"You're late," Ponyboy whispered. I looked at him and smiled. He was the kid, along with Johnnycake, but he was an okay one. He got along real well, cause of that mouth he kept shut except around Steve. Then all hell breaks loose.

"I know, Pone."

"Dallas is gonna ask Demi Irene out," Steve said. I put the bike chain around the lock of the gym locker after I put my shorts on.

"Demi Irene?!"

"Yeah, man," I said, wrapping it inside each other.

"You better watch out, man. I might just steal her away from her," He said. I looked up at him. I knew awful good he got whatever girl he laid his eye on, and trust me, it was just gonna be me, him, and that bike chain in the locker room later on if he did get Demi. I was serious about her. More serious than Anna, Angela, or Sylvia. And he wasn't gonna get her because he looked at her and she fell under his stupid Curtis spell they all had.

"I'm teasin' ya, man."

"You better, Curtis, or else," I whipped the chain off the locker in one jerk, "It's me, you, and this in here, alone."

XXX

She was working at it. She was sweating, blonde waved swirling in her face. She looked down at it. And once she kicked the sphere into the net, she backed up, high-fived Cathy, Jamie, Cherry and Patty. Patty was this chick that switched over from the other side of the bridge when the Motorcycle Boy died. She looked like Cherry, just more mature. Those were her friends. I looked at Ponyboy who had the brown bawl in his hands.

'I'm gonna go jazz that game up," I said as Ponyboy threw the ball at me. I caught it, threw it to Sodapop, and ran down the hill and onto the soccer field. She looked up from her little huddle and smiled at me. I could actually feel a little musky. What was all that about?

"Hey, ladies!" I exclaimed when Cathy grabbed hold of the ball and started juggling it on her thigh. I laughed and charged, taking it off her leg and winding up on the ground with it on my arms. Demi and the rest started laughing.

"How about going a little five-on-one?" I asked, tossing it from one hand to the next.

"I don't know…" Cathy said, laying a hand on Demi's shoulder.

"Aw, relax, Carl!" I exclaimed, laughing. She hated it when I called her that. Short for her last name Carlson.

"It'll be fun," Demi said. She reluctantly took her hand off and nodded, a face of stone.

"Okay, I'll go on defense," Demi said and jogged in front of the net while the rest of the broads lined up in front of me. I set the soccer ball in the middle of the field and eyed Demi in front of the goal, a smirk across her face.

I started this game up and swung this ball past Jamie Collins in a swift movement and racing to the goal. Cathy was my competitive enemy and stood in front of me and kicking it from my feet. I took the grasp again and swerved by Patty and dashed to the goal. I raised my foot to kick it in when I didn't kick the ball, but someone's shin. Demi's.

She yelped out in pain, but once she looked at me, she couldn't help but smile.

"Sorry, Dems," I said, genuinely.

"It's fine, Dal. Go ahead," She said. And I went on ahead.

XXX

That night was the winter dance. Yes, the winter dance. I hated those things. It was formal too, so like ya had to get a dress or a suit. And there was no way you were gonna see me in one of those stupid suits.

At lunch, the cafeteria was cram packed and it was freezing, so we all decided to go sit with the girls. We were passing the dance ticket table on the way out and Demi and Patty were paying for some. I wanted to grab Demi's shoulders and yell at her not to, but I did, and just crunched the side of the paper where it contained my food. I walked out into the cold, thankful for my jean jacket over me and spotted where Cherry and Jamie were along with Cathy. I took the spot next to Jamie, where there was already a can of soup and a fork. I pushed it in front of me and sat down. Demi came running out of the cafeteria and saw where I was sitting and ran at me, yelling, "No, no, no, no!" I smiled up at her and began to dig in. She groaned.

"Dallas, that's my spot," She whined. I looked up, shrugged, and went back to eating.

"I'm so- What are you doing?" She began picking up the soup and fork and cleaning it off on my jacket and putting it in her paper bag.

"Leaving."

"Oh, Dems, you don't have to-"

"No, no. I get it. You take my spot. I understand." And she stormed off with that sassy little attitude.

"Oh, well," Jamie scoffed and hit me in the arm, hard, where it wasn't already numb. I looked at Steve with food in my mouth and his mouth was wide open.

"What?"


End file.
